A review will examine how the Bureau of Meteorology can restore trust from the public, following controversy over its organisational redesign.
The independent review will examine how the bureau can adapt to future needs, as well as its effectiveness in broadcasting information to the public.
Among its terms of reference, the review will seek to contribute to the “restoration of public sentiment and trust in the bureau”.
The probe, which will form part of the bureau’s next strategy, will be headed up by former Murray-Darling Basin Authority head Phillip Glyde, who will hand down a report in March.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said the review would allow for the bureau to be strengthened in the future.
“BOM’s role in keeping Australia safe, informed and prepared in a changing climate has never been more vital,” he said in a statement.
“Maintaining trust in, and ensuring the effectiveness of, BOM’s information and services is essential.”
The review follows a controversial redesign of the weather bureau’s website in 2025, which triggered a widespread backlash for not being user-friendly or indicating the severity of storms.
The original price tag of the change was $4.1 million, but was later revealed to be $96 million.
Bureau chief executive Stuart Minchin at the time said the agency did not get the overhaul right, but the old version of its website, one of the most visited in the nation, was not without its flaws.
The review will also examine areas of customer demand that are not being met, as well as challenges the bureau will likely face in the future.
Senator Watt said an independent perspective on the bureau’s operations would be essential.
“Many Australians rely on BOM to make decisions on-farm, at work and in severe weather, and I know we’re all committed to ensuring that future services meet people’s needs and expectations,” he said.
Dr Minchin said Australians needed to know they could trust the bureau.
“This review will help the Bureau of Meteorology better understand current and future customer needs and ensure our strategy and services are squarely focused on the things that are important to the Australian community,” he said.
“It is about ensuring the bureau remains a trusted, modern and responsive organisation that continues to meet the needs and expectations of a changing world.”
– AAP
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